A Crumby Banana, et al...

First I want to try and explain the fleur de lis napkin fold









It is explained with a diagram here...better than I could do it!

http://www.roterochs.de/english/napkins/budnapkin.html
I hope that works!
You have to use a napkin that has some body to it...

Brown Bananas ..we all get them!

Pump up your Banana Bread with a crumb topping....
In a loaf pan..



In mini heart pans with removable bottoms...



I liked the way the crumb looked on the bottom better...

And in a molten lava cupcake type pan..



This recipe from Food Network is close to what I use...I add a splash of OJ, and sometimes yogurt instead of the milk..
There are tons of recipes....the key is REALLY ripe bananas to get the flavor..

Ingredients
1 cup granulated sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
3 ripe bananas
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan.

Cream the sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a small bowl, mash the bananas with a fork. Mix in the milk and cinnamon. In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Add the banana mixture to the creamed mixture and stir until combined. Add dry ingredients, mixing just until flour disappears.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove bread from pan, invert onto rack and cool completely before slicing.

Better the next day if you can wait!

Pear Tart

I love fresh pears. and they were on sale....

I used my lattice tool, the one used to make Caged Pears....you can see them in the side bar.
I made this tart in a square pan with removable bottom...puff pastry from the freezer of your local market...



Peel and slice 4 large pears
Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar
Brush the bottom crust with preserves...I used Mango....I know, how exotic, :)
you can use apricot, etc..
line the pear slices in the pan
brush again with preserves...
Apply the latticed crust..
Brush with egg wash and a bit more preserves, and bake..



Our table tonight...we had rib roast, baked potato and vegetable...you all know what that looks like, so I will spare you..



Happy Super Bowl Sunday!
See you tomorrow...

Tonight..It's Italian

On the menu tonight is pasta, meatballs and sausage and eggplant parmesan
...all made by Mike. He made the sauce the day before, as well as the meatballs.
Today, he sliced the eggplant nice and thin using a slicer, and let them sit on paper towels to absorb some of the water...







After that he dips them in egg wash, then Italian crumbs with some grated cheese, fries and drains well.
He layers them, sauce and mozzarella...
Then bakes...



You can see how many layers he makes, nice and thin..






5 min Artisan bread...the recipe is all over the net..





I bought these little cheese ornaments in the WM Sonoma outlet, I knew I didn't want them on my tree, what kind of a theme would that be..or maybe for a faux mouse... but they were cute...used them around the candle...



The little red bowl is from Home Goods, they came two to a pkg , they were called...Mini Pie plates...think of the possibilities...:)



Someone asked about the napkin fold from the last post...I will show that tomorrow!

Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate it..

Easy on the Pocketbook....

Pork is still pretty reasonable..
Loin of pork on sale for 1.59 a lb....no waste, and you have the makings for a an economical, and delicious dinner..if you like pork, that is..

We do...so tonight I took a boneless pork loin, butterflied it, and pounded it out at flat as I could.
Make you favorite recipe for stuffing.
Place the stuffing down the middle, roll the pork. I tied it in 2 places...

Roll in an egg wash, then bread crumbs..

Spray a cookie sheet with Pam.
Place the pork on the pan, put a few pats of butter on top or drizzle with a bit of olive oil..
Bake till browned...depending on the size of your roast..









I served ours with tattooed potatoes ( toss peeled potatoes in a bit of evoo, s&p.
spray a pyrex pan..place a sprig of parsley or thyme, sage, or whatever you like, in the pan and press the flat side of the potato down on top of it...bake till golden)

I made a compote with sliced apples, chopped onion, s&P, and a few ounces of Apricot Liqueur..inexpensive brand I use for cooking..
Simmer 30 min...

Salad with fresh pears, feta and pecans...







And since you saved a few pennies on an economical dinner...(really it is!), you can go bargain hunting at Home Goods, Christmas Tree Shops or WmSonoma outlets..

I did..

Show and tell time..



From Home Goods clearance..2.00

From the other places mentioned...I think you can read the prices..







You'll see most of it used in upcoming tablesettings....well, not the green bags, those are for my vegetables...:)

You can see the napkins used here..



If you have any questions about the show and tell..just ask..:)

Thanks for visiting...I appreciate it!

Tablescape Tuesday...Valentine's preview...

These Tuesdays sure roll around quickly..
As there are only 2 more Tuesdays after this one to do Valentine's tables, I thought I would start with these 2....

The first I used Lenox eternal china,
gold flatware,
etched glasses trimmed with gold from Pfaltzgraf, the others are antique from a friend, they were her mom's..

Cream and wine toile napkins from WSonoma outlet, as well as the indiv butter dishes.

The urn with sugared fruits in the center is from Christmas Tree Shops,
and the tassels on the napkins are from WSonoma, meant to be used on wine bottles.

The cherubs holding place names..Romeo and Juliet..:) are from Michael's

The gold chargers from Cmas Tree Shops...










The second table is what we actually used for dinner...red, then black round mat, red plates from Wm Sonoma, heart ramekin, and red glass Pfaltzgraf,
Napkins are bandanas from AC Moore
Lantern in center is Pottery Barn, as is the striped runners, and X O glass scatters...

Dinner was salad, boneless pork chop, baked potato, and apple and whipped sweet potato...











Thank you Susan, for hosting Tablescape Tuesday....

Susan's blog, Between Naps on the Front Porch has a list of other blogs participating in Tablescape Tuesday, be sure to give them a look when you have time!

And thanks for your visit here, I appreciate it!!!

AT LAST, the LAST week of January!!!

Premature to start the count down to Spring , but no reason not to celebrate the ending of January...one long, cold, month!

So on to hearts and cherubs and all that flowery stuff!

Today we went to our grandson's 5th Bday party. He is the best thing about January, arriving on 1-23-4...I love when the bdays have a way to remember them!
He is a wonderful bundle of energy, and loved the building set he got as a gift, and hammered away gleefully for an hour....umm, yes, it was noisy! But a joyful noise...

Cupcakes was the Darling Bakers Challenge at WFD, and I made a few to bring to his celebration, and a few for the adults.....

A hat for Miss Lily...



Snowman and balloons and a mouse for the birthday boy...to share with his little brothers..







Boston Creme Cupcake...



Devil's Food with Whipped Cream, Large size...



Little cherry pie cakes..



And if you like Drakes Coffee Cakes, my version...
Cherry Crumb Coffee cup cakes...





On the way home, a quick stop at The Christmas Tree Shop, but disappointed that there wasn't a selection of Valentine dishes or linens...
I did find a few things...something to use for Tablescape Tues...

So after all those cupcakes, you might like some soup...
Chicken with Wild Rice...



Think summer with the pic from the header above, Cherry tomatoes, feta, red onion, oregano, drizzled with olive oil...



Say no to snow...and stay warm! :)